Editing Julia Roberts (section)

== Artistry ==

=== Acting style and reception ===
Throughout her career, Roberts has frequently been referred to as "[[America's Sweetheart|America's sweetheart]]" by the media,<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=November 30, 2005 |title=Julia Roberts: America's sweetheart |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4484644.stm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250125082756/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4484644.stm |archive-date=January 25, 2025 |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=[[BBC News Online]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ng |first=Philiana |date=November 2, 2018 |title=The Inside Story Behind Julia Roberts' 'Homecoming,' Amazon's Latest Binge-Worthy Show (Exclusive) |url=https://www.etonline.com/the-inside-story-behind-julia-roberts-homecoming-amazons-latest-binge-worthy-show-exclusive-112885 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240908090353/https://www.etonline.com/the-inside-story-behind-julia-roberts-homecoming-amazons-latest-binge-worthy-show-exclusive-112885 |archive-date=September 8, 2024 |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=[[Entertainment Tonight]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Tingley |first=Anna |date=June 4, 2019 |title=Why Julia Roberts Never Thought of Herself as 'America's Sweetheart' |url=https://variety.com/video/julia-roberts-americas-sweetheart-actors-on-actors/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240823181257/https://variety.com/video/julia-roberts-americas-sweetheart-actors-on-actors/ |archive-date=August 23, 2024 |access-date=March 21, 2025 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref> a label that ''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]'' writer Noor Brara linked to her portrayals of characters that embody elements of the trope.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Brara |first=Noor |date=April 22, 2017 |title=5 Things You Didn't Know About Julia Roberts |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/julia-roberts-5-things-you-didnt-know |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231114174228/https://www.vogue.com/article/julia-roberts-5-things-you-didnt-know |archive-date=November 14, 2023 |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]}}</ref> [[BBC News Online]] attributed her early popularity to her roles as relatable, [[Girl next door|girl-next-door]] characters,<ref name=":0" /> often portraying vulnerable [[Working class|working-class]] women.<ref name=":5" /> Geoffrey Macnab of ''[[The Independent]]'' noted that during her peak, Roberts' appeal stemmed from her ability to blend the glamour of [[Classical Hollywood cinema#Major figures from classical Hollywood cinema|classic Hollywood stars]] with an approachable, down-to-earth quality.<ref name=":8">{{Cite news |last=Macnab |first=Geoffrey |date=March 13, 2009 |title=Julia Roberts - Has cinema's queen lost her crown? |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/julia-roberts-has-cinema-s-queen-lost-her-crown-1643714.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250220051721/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/julia-roberts-has-cinema-s-queen-lost-her-crown-1643714.html |archive-date=February 20, 2025 |access-date=March 19, 2025 |work=[[The Independent]]}}</ref> While romantic comedies cemented her status as an international star, ''Erin Brockovich'' is often cited as the film that earned her broader critical recognition as an actress.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Shark |first=Taya |date=October 31, 2024 |title=Julia Roberts – Hollywood's Queen with a million-dollar smile |url=https://elleuzbekistan.com/en/julia-roberts-hollywood-s-queen-with-a-million-dollar-smile/ |access-date=March 21, 2025 |work=[[Elle (magazine)|ELLE Uzbekistan]]}}</ref><ref name=":12" /> Film critic [[David Edelstein]] observed that while Roberts is widely acknowledged as a movie star, critics and [[Cinephilia|cinephiles]] have debated the extent of her acting abilities, sometimes discussing her work with a degree of skepticism.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last=Edelstein |first=David |author-link=David Edelstein |date=April 13, 2006 |title=The Close-Up Is Her Voodoo |url=https://nymag.com/news/profiles/16712/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240225130131/https://nymag.com/news/profiles/16712/ |archive-date=February 25, 2024 |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=[[New York (magazine)|New York]]}}</ref><ref name=":12" /> In 2012, ''[[HuffPost]]'' writer Mike Ryan suggested that her career has relied more on her star power than on widespread acclaim for her acting, noting that she is not often included in discussions of the industry's most celebrated actresses.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ryan |first=Mike |date=March 30, 2012 |title=Julia Roberts Is Mean |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/julia-roberts-is-mean_b_1389713 |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=[[HuffPost]]}}</ref>

Some critics have pointed out that Roberts has frequently played characters with traits similar to her own,<ref name=":12">{{Cite news |last=Singer |first=Matt |date=September 15, 2014 |title=How Julia Roberts became an icon playing the Girl Next Door |url=https://thedissolve.com/features/career-view/752-julia-roberts-weepy-sexless-sweetheart-vs-julie-ro/ |access-date=March 20, 2025 |work=[[The Dissolve]] |quote=no matter who she plays, she's often also playing “Julia Roberts,”}}</ref><ref name=":13" /> contributing to a screen presence that journalist and filmmaker [[Bilge Ebiri]] described as difficult to separate from her public persona.<ref name=":9">{{Cite news |last=Ebiri |first=Bilge |author-link=Bilge Ebiri |date=November 21, 2017 |title=Every Julia Roberts Performance, Ranked |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-julia-roberts-movie-ranked.html |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240421214347/https://www.vulture.com/article/best-julia-roberts-movie-ranked.html |archive-date=April 21, 2024 |access-date=March 19, 2025 |work=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]]}}</ref> John Anderson of ''[[The Seattle Times]]'' described her as "an actress who has never really been required to act".<ref name=":13">{{Cite news |last=Anderson |first=John |date=March 22, 2009 |title=Julia Roberts returns to the limelight |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/movies/julia-roberts-returns-to-the-limelight/ |access-date=March 20, 2025 |work=[[The Seattle Times]]}}</ref> Matt Singer of ''[[The Dissolve]]'' said "Roberts has rarely strayed far from the onscreen persona that made her one of the biggest movie stars in history—that of a simple girl of limited means and unlimited heart, pulling herself up by her bootstraps".<ref name=":12" /> Attempts to divert from this image in the 1990s met with mixed responses,<ref name=":9" /> though Macnab noted her versatility in transitioning between romantic comedies, thrillers, period dramas, and independent films.<ref name=":8" /> Jihane Bousfiha of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' said that while her grace, warmth, and charisma "permeates all of her roles", no genre has highlighted these qualities as effectively as romantic comedies, describing her its "undisputed queen".<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Bousfiha |first=Jihane |date=October 19, 2022 |title=Every Julia Roberts Romantic Comedy, Ranked |url=https://time.com/6223174/julia-roberts-rom-coms-ranked/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240430073600/https://time.com/6223174/julia-roberts-rom-coms-ranked/ |archive-date=April 30, 2024 |access-date=March 20, 2025 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> Film critic and historian [[David Thomson (film critic)|David Thomson]] wrote in ''[[Salon magazine|Salon]]'' that he once received letters from upset fans over suggesting that Roberts' talent was being misused in some of her then-recent film roles.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thomson |first=David |author-link=David Thomson (film critic) |date=December 13, 2001 |title=Hold your fire |url=https://www.salon.com/2001/12/13/julia_2/ |access-date=March 21, 2025 |work=[[Salon.com|Salon]]}}</ref> Director [[Mike Nichols]], who worked with her on ''Charlie Wilson's War'', argued that her beauty sometimes overshadowed her acting skills, praising her intelligence, preparation, and ability to fully embody her characters.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Rozen |first=Leah |date=April 29, 2010 |title=Mother and Mega-Star, Happily Balanced |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/movies/02roberts.html |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240715132530/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/movies/02roberts.html |archive-date=July 15, 2024 |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> The actress said she does not have any acting techniques, commenting, "there's nothing more boring than actors sitting around talking about acting".<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 4, 2010 |title=Julia Roberts |url=https://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/a11346/julia-roberts-462418/ |access-date=January 21, 2025 |work=[[Elle (magazine)|Elle]]}}</ref>

Since ''Eat Pray Love'', Roberts has largely moved away from the romantic comedy roles that defined much of her early career, instead gravitating toward more dramatic, character-driven projects, including supporting roles in ensemble films.<ref name=":11">{{Cite news |last=Kaufman |first=Amy |date=December 26, 2013 |title=Julia Roberts: From America's Sweetheart to neighborhood mom |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-xpm-2013-dec-26-la-et-mn-julia-roberts-osage-county-20131227-story.html |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240412080304/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-xpm-2013-dec-26-la-et-mn-julia-roberts-osage-county-20131227-story.html |archive-date=April 12, 2024 |access-date=March 19, 2025 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref><ref name=":6" /> She has attributed this shift to evolving opportunities, personal growth, and the increasing complexity of roles available to her with age.<ref name=":6" /> Roberts has cited [[Frances McDormand]], [[Annette Bening]], and [[Meryl Streep]] as actresses she admires for balancing successful careers with family life.<ref name=":3" />

=== Public image ===
Roberts has been recognized as one of the defining actors of her generation,<ref name=":10" /><ref name=":7">{{Cite news |last=Davis |first=Clayton |date=October 28, 2022 |title=Julia Roberts' 10 Best Film Performances: From 'Pretty Woman' to 'Erin Brockovich' |url=https://variety.com/lists/julia-roberts-best-movies-performances-ranked/the-pelican-brief-1993/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230109141353/https://variety.com/lists/julia-roberts-best-movies-performances-ranked/the-pelican-brief-1993/ |archive-date=January 9, 2023 |access-date=March 19, 2025 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref> and among the most influential actresses of the 1990s and early 2000s.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 15, 2025 |title=Julia Roberts – American actress |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Julia-Roberts |access-date=March 19, 2025 |website=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]}}</ref> During her peak, several publications described her as the world's biggest movie star.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Kaufman |first=Amy |date=December 5, 2018 |title=Julia Roberts knows what she wants, and being a 'movie star' isn't high on the list |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-julia-roberts-ben-is-back-homecoming-20181205-story.html |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240613120337/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-julia-roberts-ben-is-back-homecoming-20181205-story.html |archive-date=June 13, 2024 |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |quote=one of the biggest movie stars in the world.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gilchrist |first=Ava |title=This Is The One Piece Of Beauty Advice Julia Roberts Wishes Her Younger Self Knew |url=https://graziamagazine.com/us/articles/julia-roberts-beauty-advice/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250318162829/https://graziamagazine.com/us/articles/julia-roberts-beauty-advice/ |archive-date=March 18, 2025 |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=[[Grazia]]}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=November 17, 2017 |title=Julia Roberts' rise to $190M stardom |url=https://www.pressreader.com/usa/life-style-weekly/20171117/284339724908616?srsltid=AfmBOoomBxBnn1xB6aaM4GY6DniKn3EWt-oJs1deCAL9vbRk28BlXKLc |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250318162829/https://www.pressreader.com/usa/life-style-weekly/20171117/284339724908616?srsltid=AfmBOoomBxBnn1xB6aaM4GY6DniKn3EWt-oJs1deCAL9vbRk28BlXKLc |archive-date=March 18, 2025 |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=[[Life & Style (magazine)|Life & Style]] |via=[[PressReader]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Knegt |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Knegt |date=January 8, 2021 |title=The 21 greatest movie award speeches of all time |url=https://www.cbc.ca/arts/the-21-greatest-movie-award-speeches-of-all-time-1.5579183 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922030704/https://www.cbc.ca/arts/the-21-greatest-movie-award-speeches-of-all-time-1.5579183 |archive-date=September 22, 2023 |access-date=March 20, 2025 |work=[[CBC.ca]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Dams |first=Tim |date=August 9, 2024 |title='Erin Brockovich' producer Stacey Sher: 'This is a job of psychotic optimism' |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/erin-brockovich-producer-stacey-sher-this-is-a-job-of-psychotic-optimism/5196121.article |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241126224832/https://www.screendaily.com/news/erin-brockovich-producer-stacey-sher-this-is-a-job-of-psychotic-optimism/5196121.article |archive-date=November 26, 2024 |access-date=March 20, 2025 |work=[[Screen Daily]]}}</ref> Ebiri called her "more than a movie star ... she was an existential fact" and "a dominant cultural force".<ref name=":9" /> Reporting on her star power in 1995, ''[[The New York Times]]''’ Josh Young described her as a "rainmaker for women's films", with the ability to guarantee a film's opening weekend audience and even [[greenlight]] a project simply by agreeing to star in it.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Young |first=Josh |date=October 1, 1995 |title=When Julia Roberts Says No, Other Actresses Cry, Thanks! |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/01/arts/when-julia-roberts-says-no-other-actresses-cry-thanks.html |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220622141401/https://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/01/arts/when-julia-roberts-says-no-other-actresses-cry-thanks.html |archive-date=June 22, 2022 |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> He also noted that her peers had benefited by accepting roles she had turned down.<ref name=":4" /> Roberts’ agent at the time, Elaine Goldsmith, credited her as one of the actresses in the 1990s who helped convince studios that women could lead films as successfully as men.<ref name=":4" /> According to Leah Rozen of ''The New York Times'', she remained "the biggest female box office draw for 20 years".<ref name=":3" /> Roberts has also been recognized as a pioneer in pushing for [[Inequality in Hollywood#Actors vs. Actresses|gender pay equity in Hollywood]], negotiating salaries on par with her male counterparts.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Utley |first=Riley |date=August 27, 2023 |title=What Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lawrence And 5 Other Actresses Have Said About The Pay Gap |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/what-julia-roberts-jennifer-lawrence-and-other-actresses-said-about-pay-gap |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=[[CinemaBlend]]}}</ref> The then-unprecedented $20 million salary she commanded set a new standard for actresses' compensation, according to BBC News Online.<ref name=":0" /> She was the highest-paid actress in Hollywood for much of the 1990s and early 2000s.<ref name=":7" /> In 2000, Roberts became the first actress to be included on ''The Hollywood Reporter''<nowiki/>'s list of the 50 most influential women in show business, on which she was ranked the third most powerful woman in entertainment.<ref name="RfaoHRpl" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Davies |first=Hugh |date=December 5, 2001 |title=Julia Roberts crowned queen of Hollywood |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1364433/Julia-Roberts-crowned-queen-of-Hollywood.html |access-date=March 19, 2025 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref> In 2002, she became the first woman to be ranked the most bankable star in Hollywood based on an industry poll by the same publication, tying her with male actors [[Tom Cruise]] and Tom Hanks.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 4, 2002 |title=Julia Roberts Puts Women on Top in Hollywood for the First Time |url=https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/20020205928446/bigstars/ |access-date=March 19, 2025 |work=[[Hello! (magazine)|Hello]]}}</ref> As her career progressed, journalists began speculating whether her name alone could still guarantee box office success, particularly as some of her later films saw mixed commercial results.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McClintock |first=Pamela |date=May 6, 2016 |title=Julia Roberts' Box-Office Power in Question |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/julia-roberts-box-office-power-890862/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240102015115/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/julia-roberts-box-office-power-890862/ |archive-date=January 2, 2024 |access-date=March 19, 2025 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref><ref name=":8" /><ref name=":11" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Barnard |first=Linda |date=May 8, 2016 |title=Is Julia Roberts off Hollywood's A list? |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/is-julia-roberts-off-hollywood-s-a-list/article_efde1138-2c49-50bd-a624-2c724873f90c.html |access-date=March 20, 2025 |work=[[Toronto Star]]}}</ref> By 2017, Roberts stated that she no longer actively pursued roles but instead waited to see what opportunities arose.<ref name=":6" /> She has maintained that she is selective about her projects and that her agents never try to persuade her to take on a role.<ref name=":11" /><ref name=":6" />

Roberts has stated that she has successfully maintained a clear separation between her personal life and her acting career.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Delcroix |first=Olivier |date=March 24, 2009 |title=A role that is the opposite of my personality |url=https://www-lefigaro-fr.translate.goog/cinema/2009/03/24/03002-20090324ARTFIG00524-un-role-aux-antipodes-de-ma-personnalite-.php?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=[[Le Figaro]] |language=French}}</ref> Kaufman likened her public image to that of leading a [[double life]], balancing her role as both a mother and one of the most recognizable faces globally.<ref name=":11" /> In 2009, a critic for ''The New Yorker'' suggested that while Roberts is a skilled actress, her technical abilities might not always match the emotional depth required for audiences to fully connect with her performances, partly due to the distance she maintains in her public persona.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=March 27, 2009 |title=Duplicity |url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/duplicity |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323000836/https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/duplicity |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |access-date=March 18, 2025 |magazine=[[The New Yorker]]}}</ref> For ''Vulture'', [[Go Fug Yourself|The Fug Girls]] described Roberts' public persona, which they dubbed "Julianess", as an overwhelming display of confidence and charm that at times borders on arrogance.<ref>{{Cite news |last=The Fug Girls |author-link=Go Fug Yourself |date=June 29, 2011 |title=The Fug Girls Rate Julia Roberts's Movies on their Grinning, Brassy Julia-ness |url=https://www.vulture.com/2011/06/fug_girls_on_julia_roberts.html |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231121064915/https://www.vulture.com/2011/06/fug_girls_on_julia_roberts.html |archive-date=November 21, 2023 |access-date=March 19, 2025 |work=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]]}}</ref> Natalie Finn of [[E!]] observed that the media constantly compares younger, up-and-coming actresses to Roberts in an attempt to crown a spiritual successor, which Finn declared an unfair comparison.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Finn |first=Natalie |date=October 26, 2017 |title=There Will Never Be a "Next Julia Roberts": Debunking Hollywood's Favorite Fruitless Comparison |url=https://www.eonline.com/ca/news/889729/there-will-never-be-a-next-julia-roberts-debunking-hollywood-s-favorite-fruitless-comparison |access-date=March 26, 2025 |work=[[E!]]}}</ref> Some journalists have noted reports of Roberts being challenging to work with, citing alleged conflicts with certain directors and co-stars.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Burtt |first=Kristyn |date=January 12, 2024 |title=Julia Roberts Addresses the Long-Held Rumor That She's Difficult To Work With |url=https://www.sheknows.com/entertainment/articles/2934103/julia-roberts-difficult-reputation-hollywood/ |access-date=March 21, 2025 |work=[[SheKnows]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Soteriou |first=Stephanie |date=January 27, 2024 |title=Julia Roberts Alluded To Her Difficult Reputation And Admitted She Holds Back From Being 'Too Friendly' On Movie Sets |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/julia-roberts-difficult-reputation_n_65b402ace4b014b873b10c3c |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=[[HuffPost]]}}</ref> In a 2024 interview with filmmaker [[Richard Curtis]], she finally addressed these rumors, which she attributed to conscious efforts she has made not appear overly friendly on film sets to avoid being taken advantage of and forthright personality, but maintains that she never intends to hurt others.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Curtis |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Curtis |date=January 11, 2024 |title=The Meet Cute: Julia Roberts Opens Up To Richard Curtis About Her Rom-Com-Perfect Marriage, The Secret To Ageing Gracefully & Why She Almost Turned Down Notting Hill |url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/julia-roberts-british-vogue-cover-interview |access-date=March 20, 2025 |work=[[British Vogue]]}}</ref> Edelstein observed that early in her career, Roberts was known for being edgy, hypersensitive, and difficult on set, though later profiles have emphasized her efforts to be seen as more down-to-earth.<ref name=":5" />

Journalists and critics have frequently commented on Roberts' physical appearance and sex appeal.<ref name=":14">{{Cite news |last=Goldstein |first=Patrick |author-link=Patrick Goldstein |date=March 23, 1990 |title=Julia Roberts--Living Life in the Fast Lane : Film: In just three years, the Oscar nominee has gone from star-struck newcomer to a formidable member of the elite $1 million-a-movie club. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-03-23-ca-796-story.html |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231210073253/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-03-23-ca-796-story.html |archive-date=December 10, 2023 |access-date=March 20, 2025 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |quote=Enamored by her spunky personality and full-lipped sex appeal, smitten critics have tossed bouquets at her feet.}}</ref> However, film critic [[Patrick Goldstein]] and celebrity stylist [[Phillip Bloch|Philip Bloch]] stated that Roberts never fully embodied the [[sex symbol]] role, despite her attractiveness.<ref name=":14" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Stewart |first=Anna |date=October 11, 2007 |title=Movie icon Julia Roberts sets style |url=https://variety.com/2007/film/awards/movie-icon-julia-roberts-sets-style-1117973885/ |access-date=March 20, 2025 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref> Singer observed that "For a woman who became famous playing a prostitute, Roberts has maintained a surprisingly [[Asexuality|asexual]] onscreen persona", rarely performing [[sex scenes]].<ref name=":12" /> ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'' magazine has named Roberts the "[[People (magazine)#100 Most Beautiful People|World's Most Beautiful Woman]]" a record-breaking five times, most recently in 2017.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 19, 2017 |title=People magazine names Julia Roberts 'World's Most Beautiful Woman' |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/people-julia-roberts-beautiful-1.4075318 |access-date=March 20, 2025 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |via=[[CBC News]]}}</ref>